Dorfprozelten, Bavaria

In the future I will mostly be posting any key stories for the Dorfprozelten emigrants on the new blog. Although the focus is on the immigrants to Australia, I’d also welcome contact from any Dorfprozelten immigrants who settled in other countries. To contact me please email cassmob at yahoo dot com dot au. (please change to the usual format for emails) or please leave a comment at the end of one of the posts.

One of my broader research interests is learning more about the emigrants from Dorfprozelten in Bavaria to Australia. This interest originated with my own family history research as I tried to learn about my great-great-grandfather, Georg Mathias Kunkel, who emigrated in the mid-1850s. I have been unable to find him in any shipping records to Austalia: assisted; unassisted/unsponsored; crew lists which is why I tried to learn more about his fellow emigrants.

Family anecdotes consistently say the my George came to Australia in the goldrush era and jumped ship. Given that many of Dorfprozelten’s men worked on the River Main which runs through Dorfprozelten this is not an implausible story. However unlike many of his fellow emigrants he was unlikely to have left home because of economic necessity: his family ran one of the large inns in the Village “das Goldenes Fass” which was a lucrative business. Perhaps he had wanderlust or perhaps like other young Bavarian men he left to avoid the military draft (another common family tale). Unfortunately he doesn’t appear in the Australian records in any of the eastern states/colonies until he marries his young Irish wife, Mary O’Brien in Ipswich Queensland in 1857. At the time he was working as a servant though he later had many occupations: boarding house keeper, pork butcher (in Ipswich and in the northern NSW gold fields at Tooloom); railway worker and farmer. It is probable that he arrived somewhere in Australia two or three years before though after 20+ years of research this remains a mystery.

The migration story of his fellow emigrants is much clearer. Most of these migrants came as family groups under the colony of New South Wales’s (NSW’s) vinedresser bounty scheme.

In the cold winter days between December 1854 and January 1855, over 50 people left their home village of Dorfprozelten in Bavaria to migrate to Australia. They farewelled not only friends and family, but the traditions and environment familiar to them throughout their own lives, as well as to generations of their ancestors. Their departure represented the loss of 5% of the town’s population – an impact which would have rippled through their network of neighbours and family.[i] Although there were occasional single departures, this was the largest mass movement from Dorfprozelten to Australia.

The first known couple to come to Australia were Eugen Nebauer and his wife Caroline Nebauer who arrived in Sydney on 5 August 1852 on the Reiherstieg [ii]. It can only be assumed that their reports back to family and friends in Bavaria were positive and when the bounty conditions became more favourable for families the exodus to Australia commenced.

The first group of four families and two couples was scheduled to sail on the Commodore Perry, a brand new, state of the art clipper ship built for Baines’ Black Ball Line in Liverpool.[iii] This group arrived in Sydney on 26 April 1855.

Closer inspection of the Lists reveals an anomaly however. An annotation indicates that 14 of these German vinedresser families actually arrived on the Boomerang, another Black Ball Line clipper, via Melbourne.[iv] Only one Dorfprozelten family, the Josef Zöller family, travelled on the Boomerang though there were close links with another family from nearby Fechenbach, the family of Carl Diflo. The experiences of the German passengers on these two ships appears to have been quite different. The Commodore Perry passengers included a large number of Scottish emigrants travelling to Tasmania and the Bavarians’ comments on arrival reflect the first frustrations of living in a different culture. The Boomerang’s passengers however experienced the challenges of icebergs and severe storms before arriving safely in Melbourne where they were trans-shipped on the Yarra Yarra to Sydney, arriving there on 21 May 1855.

Meanwhile the third batch of Dorfprozelten families was also on the seas though their voyage was to be quite different again as they sailed on a German ship, the Peru, which left Hamburg on 17 January 1855. Among the 375 emigrants on board were seven Dorfprozelten families or couples (26 individuals). These emigrants had a shocking voyage under poor conditions. They arrived in Sydney on 23 May 1855 and were immediately placed in quarantine due to the presence of scurvy and fever on board. The Sydney Morning Herald of 24 May 1855 described it as being “ina very dirty and disgraceful state.” The sailing conditions on German ships were less stringent than on British emigrant ships of the time and the mortality rates reflected this. Among the 32 deaths reported in the Board Lists (36 per the newspaper) were three Dorfprozelten people, two children and one adult: Maria Kuhn, wife of Dominicus Kuhn, who left behind three young children; Clara Kaüflein aged 7 (daughter of Joseph and Anna Kaüflein) and Thomas Neubeck, the one-year-old son of Alois and Clara Neubeck.

Because the vinedresser scheme only applied to families, single people who wished to emigrate had to take private contracts. Among these men were Georg Günzer and Franz Dümig (later Dimmock/Dimmick). The young men were mostly recruited as shepherds to the properties in Moreton Bay district. Despite the intention that the families were sponsored to help develop a wine industry in the colony of NSW with their recruitment being based on prior experience of working in viticulture (sometimes a rather tenuous claim), many if not most of the Dorfprozelten immigrants were employed as shepherds or labourers, often in remote locations. The families probably had little idea of just how far away they’d be from each other but with about half the families being sent to the Moreton Bay district, they were remote not just from each other, but often from any other community. A huge and soul-searing experience for a group of people who had grown up in a familiar, tight-knit village where their families had lived for generations.

Only two of the immigrants had relatives already living in the colony: Eugen Nebauer, the founding Dorfprozelten emigrant to Australia was the cousin of brothers Josef and Vincenz Kaüflein. Two of the female immigrants were sisters: Clara Neubeck and Louisa Wörner. Two of the immigrants were brothers though they had different surnames: Georg Günzer and Dominicus Kuhn. Clara (aka Rosina) Hock was a cousin to these two men.

My presentation to the 2006 Genealogical Congress in Darwin expands on this research with particular reference to the Moreton Bay (Queensland) families. The paper’s title was They weren’t all Lutherans – A case study of a small group of German Catholics who emigrated to Australia from Dorfprozelten, Bavaria.

[i] The population of Dorfprozelten in 1850 was 1084 people, of whom all except one were Roman Catholic. In the twenty years 1840 to 1860, the village’s population increased by only 92 people (births net of deaths). Veh, G. Dorfprozelten am Main,Benedict Press, 1995, pp50-51.

[iii] The Commodore Perry was launched in the American fall of 1854 in the Boston shipyards and is believed to have sailed to Liverpool in December. http://www.eraoftheclipperships.com/page56.html. The Sydney Morning Herald of 27 April 1855, page 4, also describes it as “one of the largest and finest vessels that has entered this harbour.” The ship’s cargo included 300 tons of coal and 2250 sacks of salt and was captained by Captain G Mundle who also had his family on board. By the time it arrived in Sydney it had 312 passengers in the steerage, ninety-five more than are listed on the Board’s List for the ship.

Hi, My husband is a descendant of Joseph Zeller who arrived on the “Peru’ in 1855 from Alsace Lorraine. He was 10 years old at the time. He went to Drayton, Toowoomba with his family and later moved out to the Darling Downs. Is it likely that this is a shared ancestor?
Monica Anderson

Hi, I am a deseneant of A. Henny (Hennig) whos Mother was Eva Muffig and who married Maria Zoller. They all lived in Dungog and around the Hunter about 1845 onwards. A Hennigs dad was Jacob. Just by my family, you can see how they stuck together!

Robert…..I also am a descendent of Eugene……via Joseph….I would love to find out your family tree as well. Have information on Eugenes parents, Joseph & Elizabeth and their parents….but do you know anything else…..Would love to hear from you…..Gail

Hello,
My name is Joan Whybird [nee Grehan] my grandmother was Anna May Zoller, whose family came from Dorfprotzeltin, Bavaria in the 1800’s. The Zoller family settled on the Darling Downs and became farmers.
I am going to Dorfprotzrltin in July and will try and look up the Zoller’s if possible.
regards
Joan

Joan, Maria Anna Zoller was my g.g.grandmother. I can send you a copy of a birth brief of my Dorfprozelten family which an Umscheid connection, Fredy Umscheid, did for me some years ago. Many of the Dorf. names on it. Ten years ago, I and my daughters stayed with the Umscheids and Werner Zoller in Dorfprozelten. Caroline Umscheid married my g.grandfather, Eugen Nebauer.
Monica O’Brien

It appears that you and I have the same g.g. grandmother. Maria Anna Zollers married John Henny in 1834 in Bavaria. I am trying to go further back for Maria Anna and if you have any links or hints how I may proceed, I would be really grateful

hi Pamela, The Zollers are not my direct line, nor are the Hennys. However I know one of my other commenters is related to that family. I’ll get in touch directly via email. There are a number of options available to you: local history book, Wurzburg Catholic Archives, Catholic Church at Dorfprozelten.

Monica
I also have a connection to Dorfprozelten. My family originated from Johannes Ludwig Umscheid. He went to Iowa and his son Johann Leo moved to Nebraska. My grandfather Clarence was born there and then went to Oregon and then Alberta, Canada where there are a large group of us now. Would there be anyone that knows this family?

hi Judy, the Umscheids are definitely a Dorfprozelten name. From memory one of the women to Australia was an Umscheid. I’ll check it out and get back to you. Good to hear from a US descendants of a Dorf emigrant! Pauleen

Hi Judy, I have been back and checked my research and the Dorfprozelten local history book….too many names in my head to just rattle them off straight away with confidence. Your Johann Josef Umscheid is in there with marriage details …do you have them? Caroline Nebauer, one of the first Dorfprozelten emigrants to Australia was born an Umscheid. Analysing the family details in the book I realised that Franz Dümig (later Dimmock or Dimmick), who was a later emigrant to Queensland in Australia, was her half-brother. They probably didn’t see each other in Oz as they were many miles apart. His story here was tragic.

There are other Umscheid links in Australia but I would need to follow up if/how they are linked to your lot. Umscheid is a fairly typical name in the village as you perhaps know.

Hello – I am a relative of Eugene – Is there any chance of getting a copy of Caroline Umscheid family tree…I am so interested in the family tree – I would love to go to Germany one day to research. Gail

Hello Joan,
My wife is related to Mary Krebs, daughter of Michael Krebs and Magdalena Gollen, she was from Dorfprozelten and married Ambrose Ambrosoli, they were my wife’s Great Grandparents. Settles in the Hunters Hill area.

I am decendent from four brother’s who came from Bavaria whom supposidly paid there passage by provideing entertainment on the ship they came from. I was told that they left in January in 1855. After reading your story i wondered if they were appart of the lot that were quarantined. If you know any more can you please let me know. I think your name was changed a little in WWII, now it is spelt Redenbach.
thank you very much and i hoe to hear from you soon.
Alex

Hi Pauleen, My GGGGrandfather Phillip and his family came out on the maiden voyage of the Commodore Perry in 1885, but his family is not specifically one that you listed. ARENTZ is their last name and they are the first family listed on the ships passenger list. They were Roman Catholic and both Phillip and my then 14yr old GGGrandfather were listed as “vinedressers.”
I am very new to the family tree game and am learning fast. I stumbled over your item here on the net and it helped me to undertand a bit more what happened to my family. I was wondering if you might be kind enough to point me in the right direction of where the Commodore Perry picked up my Arentz family in Germany or any articles or a book or history written about the immigration of Germans to Australia. Thanks in advance. Janine

Yes I have the Arentz family on the Commodore Perry shipping lists ni 1855 (you accidentally wrote 1885) but as they don’t come from the Dorfprozelten area, they weren’t part of my study. I can highly recommend articles by Jenny Paterson who has written many articles on the German immigrants -she writes for Ances-tree, the magazine for the Burwood and District Family History society. Most family history societies should have copies as would the major reference library in your home state. There are a variety of books written about German immigrants with different “slants”. Another place to search is http://trove.nla.gov.au/book. Happy hunting.
Pauleen

Hi again, I have just recently found out that one of the seamen on board the Commodore Perry 1856 , Dominic Conway 17yrs old from England, could be my great grandfather. He jumped ship in Sydney and was later in jail for a week under a different name Daniel Conway 20 yrs old. This fits with my g-grandfather. Can people actually find records of the crew on these ships, like a register of employment? Thanks

There is a yes and no answer to this question….and it’s all rather complicated. I think I might put together a post on this as a general topic…have put short version on Rootschat previously. As they say, “watch this space”. Pauleen

hi Janine
Don’t know if you’ve looked at the Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters website: http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1856/05/006com.htm This page lists Dominic as one of the crew members. However you should be able to find out more about him -I’ll post on that anon. Pauleen

Hi, my name is Terry. I clicked on to your site as I was looking at some ancestors who arrived on the Commodore Perry in 1855. They were John H and Catherina Ruhle. I’m unsure whether they came from your Barvarian village. However, my comment is more about your descendant. I had a similar problem with one of my great grandparents. I had found the ship in which my great grandmother had arrived. She married my great grandfather within a few months of her arrival. Their wedding certificate showed that they lived in the same very short street in Brisbane. I had searched for many (20) years for the ship on which he arrived. My cousin and I have been working together to do our family tree and she found that he had arrived on the same ship as my great grandmother. This information was on his application for naturalization. While at the national archives in Brisbane, I checked the passenger list again. It turns out he was not a passenger but an able bodied seaman who worked his way to Australia. They also had the naturalization application which bears his hand written signature. I was able to print out a copy.
Hope this helps

Thanks for getting in touch. I’m so pleased you managed to link your ancestors on the same ship! My family story has always said that my George Kunkel jumped ship (which kind of implies he was a seaman) and over the years I”ve searched for crew and paying passengers without success. Still one day I might get lucky. Did you know that you can look at crew documents by ordering films from the LDS Church? This might give you some more information on him….although perhaps not a lot it’s worth the few dollars and the bit of time (compared to the 20 years you’ve spent, like me). I posted about these records on roots chat a while ago -I’ll try to find the link and send it or put on the blog. I live in hope that one day my George will appear on some shipping record, and feel that when he does my great-great grandmother will be there too. Such are the joys of family history. Thanks again.

Hi, my name is Mary and I am a gggranddaughter of the Scottish emigrants to Tasmania on the Commodore Perry (1855). I am looking for any information about the voyage. You mentioned that the bavarians commented on their fellow passengers – do you have any accounts from the voyage?

hi Rod, Sorry about the delayed response as I’ve been away. If you have another look at the Dorfprozelten page you will see I’ve now left an online response to Mary’s comment. The same information should be helpful to you.

hi Mary
It seems I didn’t leave a reply on this comment. I suggest that the best place to find out what was said about the voyage is in the comments section (right hand side of the page) on the shipping microfilm from the NSW State Records Office. You need to look at the microfilm of Board Immigrant Lists which in this case is Reel 2469, [4/4946]. While some microfilms have been put online this is not one of them. One example of a comment made was “bought provisions from the Scotch emigrants”. I suggest you also look at the various newspapers which might have commented on the voyage on http://www.trove.nla.gov.au or on microfilm.

I was wondering if there are any Stapfs there today? My great grandfather Joseph Stapf (and two of his brothers) came to the United States sometime in the 1860’s or 1870’s.
A kind gentleman from Germany sent me a copy of our branch of the family tree, and so many of my ancestors seemed to be from this place, but they called it Prozelten.

I am unable to help you with this enquiry -I don’t live in Dorfprozelten and don’t have access to the records there. There are two places quite close together (about a kilometre) and they are Dorfprozelten and Stadtprozelten. Either would be possible for your ancestors if they have used Prozelten. It’s quite likely too that they were Catholic as was the norm in that area.

Hi, I stumbled across your blog when researching my family history. I am a descendant of George Gunzer from Dorfprozelten. He changed his name to Ganzer (well, it became Ganzer) and ended up on a farm in Murphys Creek near Toowoomba. He would be my great great grandfather I think. I’m interested to find out when and how he made it to Australia and also any information on his wife, Hildegardis Hoch from Dorfbrutzelden also in Bavaria.
Regards
Denise

I am unable to reply rin detail ight now but will email your personal email. Don’t forget to look at the Qld State Archives records for immigration -they have both Hildegardis and Georg’s immigration details. When Hildegard remarried after Georg Gunzer’s death, she and her husband (plus at least some of her children) were neighbours of my ancestors, the Kunkels, at the Fifteen Mile.

Hi Denise,I to am a decendant of George Gunzer and Hildergardis Hock my grandfather was Christopher Ganzer,if i can be of any assistance please get in touch,hope to hear from you.Best wishes Kevin Ganzer

Thanks Kevin, I’ve asked both Ganzer descendants if I can pass their emails on to you for further communication. Thanks for getting in touch and I”m pleased the blog is serving to connect these Dorfprozelten families.I’d be happy to be in the loop too given my broad interest so will send you my email directly.

Kevin, so good to hear from you. Would be keen to chat, so if you would like to email me, please do so. Pauline said she would send you my details. My mother was Doris Ogilvie, daughter of Millie (Margaret) You would be a cousin of hers too, as well as Maureen Scheikowski. Are you living in Brisbane? Looking forward to hearing from you, Denise Nicholls

The parish records for Dorfprozelten confirm that Dominicus and Georg share the same mother though it’s less clear whether their father was the same. It is possible however as Dominic’s birth was legitimised after the parents’ marriage. Hope this helps. Pauleen

Hi catherine,that is correct,georg and dominic are brothers iam in the phone book also,your mother and i are, cousins would be great to catch up some time, ihave a couple of photographs of interest but not sure whomthey are,maybe Christopher Ganzer/ellen gollogly i think house is in murphys creek cheers for now kev

Hi Pauleen, I’m a descendant of Catherine Frey who sailed on the Peru in1855. She was married to Johann G Schmieg who died on the voyage. She married Georg Schmitzer a vine dresser in Maitland. (I’m unsure if he was with them on the Peru or The Helene in 1853.. conflicting reports) Thankyou for the info on the conditions of their voyage as I, like you, love to get a feel for how they lived and coped in such hard circumstances. Do you have any more information on those who died on the Peru or the passenger list so I can confirm Catherine Frey’s (Schmieg) and Georg Schmitzer’s arrival. They came from Dahenfeld and Siglingen. Cheers and thanks Julie

Good to hear from you. It’s so interesting to hear all the different connections between these early immigrants.

You can find a shipping list for the Peru (and other immigrant ships) on microfilm at any sizable family history society or usually at any state reference library as well as some smaller local libraries. If you are not near one of these you could look at the website for the State Records Office of NSW but do try to look at the originals by microfilm -it will give you a better sense of the detail, and usually more info. The newspapers of the day always had some info on each ship as it arrived under “shipping News” …these are very easy to peruse now….you don’t even have to go to the library as they’re available through the online Australian newspaper website at the Australian National Library. http://trove.nla.gov.au/. However you need to be aware that the print in early newspapers hasn’t always scanned perfectly so you may need to search inventively to turn up all the articles.

Another good source which will help you with confirming which ship your ancestors came on, is the Kopittke books published by the Queensland Family History Society (can be ordered direct from them or referenced in a library). The important thing about this information is that it lists the passenger lists from the Hamburg end and so includes all passengers not just those assisted by the government. Hence this is where you’ll find the single people who emigrated and who were not eligible under the NSW vinedresser scheme -the single people had usually signed contracts to work for various landholders before they left Germany.

Hi,
I think I’ve just found my husbands ancestors (the Zellers or Zoellers) on the “Peru”which arrived here from Dorfprozeltan in 1855. I am checking the other people on the site who saved this information. Joseph Zoeller was 10 years old and travelled with his parents and 3 siblings. If its our Joseph then he settled on the Darling Downs in Queensland.

Dear Pauleen, I made a query a little while ago about Franz Ignatz Zoeller and his life in Dorfprozolten. I realised that I not never sent you my email address to receive your information. I am so sorry, but this only just occured to me! My apologies. My email address is e.kendall@griffith.edu.au. Thanks once again for your website! Kind regards
Elizabeth Kendall

Dear Pauleen, I made a query a little while ago about Franz Ignatz Zoeller and his life in Dorfprozolten. I realised that I never sent you my email address. I am so sorry, but this only just occured to me! My apologies. My email address is e.kendall@griffith.edu.au. Thanks once again for your website! Kind regards
Elizabeth Kendall

Dear Elizabeth,
I have just read your entry and would like to ask if your Franz Zoeller is the same as the one listed on the Peru? He is my husbands great great grandfather. His second name was Heinard, not Ignatz, but he also came from Dorfprozeltan in1855.
Best wishes
Monica Anderson

Yes this is the same Franz Zoller. I understand from other family members that one of his certificates (death from memory) refers to his second name as Heinard. I have to say I wonder if this is a transcription problem with the certificate when typed up. I have gone back to the Dorfprozelten church records and done extensive research which confirms his name was Franz Ignaz and in Australia (and possibly Dorf.) he used Ignaz as a regular name . I’ve made a few links in relation to this name via Trove and hospital deaths.

I’ve just realised I hadn’t replied to your earlier post. Yes, Joseph Zoller was one of this family. Will add this info to email.
Cheers Pauleen

hi Michelle, Unfortunately I don’t have anything on them as a couple but a little on Juliana’s family which I’ll send directly. However the most critical thing is that her maiden name is not Kirchgessner as implied on her shipping record which states she is the daughter of John and Katherine Kirchgessner, also both dead. Instead her parents were Johann Joseph Löhr (day labourer) and Catharina Barbara Kirchgessner (from Georg Veh and his book on Dorfprozelten). Cheers Pauleen

Hi Pauleen, My father inlaw is a distant relation to George Gunzer going back on his mother’s side. He had told that the surname had changed but wasn’t sure how and what for. He has told me bit’s and pieces of what he remembers hearing when he was young, but a few in the family have lost contact or passed away which makes it hard to put some of the ‘stories’ together. So if you have or know of where to find out more info that would be great. I found you just by using goggle and typing in George Gunzer. I am interested in the photo that a gentlemen Kevin talked about a few entries ago. Thanks Nadine

Report from the Examiner (of Launceston Tasmania) 10 April 1855
‘COMMODORE PERRY” FROM LIVERPOOL. This splendid ship, belonging to Messrs Baines and Co., commanded by Captain Mundle, arrived from Liverpool on Satur day last, after a passage of 85 days. She sailed from Liverpool on 11th January, with about 800 passengers for this port and Sydney, and experienced fine weather throughout the passage, but the last fort night or three weeks the winds have been light and baflling. On 10th January, exchanged signals with the ship Sebastopol, outward bound from thie same port; crossed the equator on 6th Febrnuary; on 4th March, in lat. 46 o 6′ S., long., 16 o 55′ E., passed the first iceberg, and continued to meet with berg and field ice until 9th March, when the last berg was passed in lat. 490 9′ S., long. 34° 10′ E.; the highest southern latitude reached was 51 38′ S. ; passed the longitude ofCape Leuwip on 23rd March, since which the wind was easterly and light. The greatest run made in the 24 hours was 300 miles. On 4th April the Harriet Armytage, for Melbourne, was spoken off Cape Otway. There are about 350 statute adults for this place, selected by Joseph Bonney, Esq., for the St. Andrew’s Society; and 50 Irish laborers sent out for the Fingal road trust; there are also about 800 German vine dressers and planters for Sydney. The deaths have been–amongst the Scotch 1o,

one adult, one sixteen years old, and eight three years old and under; amongst the Germans 18, all children; amongst the Irish there was no mortality. On Sunday morn ing the president and committee of the St. Andrew’s Society, with several other gen- tlemen Interested, including the Rev. R. K. Ewing and Captain Mundle (who came up to town the previous day in the Titania), proceeded down the river in the steamer Cobra, taking a supply of beef, potatos, apples, &c. for the emigrants. On ap- proaching the ship, although prepared for wonder, all were astonished at the immense object floating before them, and as the steamer drew alongside some seven or eight hundred heads were thrust over the bul warks – Scotch, Irish, Germans – men, women, and children. Great surprise was expressed at the state of cleanliness in which the ship was found, and very great praise Is due to Captain Mundle for the prudent exercise of that forbearance and decision which secured for himself the esteem of all, and the observance of those regulations so essential to the harmony of a large number of people. Acting as cicerone, Capt. Mundle led his visitors all over the vessel, pointing out and explaining the most noticeable objects of his floating empire. In the first place, the vessel’s sides are some twenty feet out of the water; she has three decks, -the lower one being occupied by the Germans. Over the main deck are beams supporting the boats, spare spars, &e., and a gangway on both sides, railed in, leading from the poop to the top-gallant forecastle. In the latter part. there is a fire engine capable of throwing a jet of water the entire length of the ship. . The lower masts are, like those of a man-of-war, built of several lengths of timber, nicely fitted, and secured by numerous and massive hoops. On looking aloft the eye is arrested by the singular appearnce presented by the double topsail yards attached to each mast. This arrangement is to facilitate the talking in of canvas in bad weather. The lower yard is fixed to the lower mast by a truss, like the main yard, a short distance below the top; the upper yard traverses the topmast in the ordinary manner, the sheets of the upper one hauling down through the lower yard, and those of the lower through the main yard. In fine weather both topsails are set, but when it becomes necessary to shorten canvas the upper yard is lowered down to the cap of the mainmast, thus doing away with the difficult and dangerous operation of reefing. The rudder is worked by Robinson’s patent steering apparatus, the novelty of which consists in the employment of the screw instead of tiller chains; and its superiority is manifest in the slightest motion of the wheel being sufficient to influence the rudder. On the rudder head, and coming up through the board that covers the other part of the apparatus, is a brass hand, which moving horizontally and in unison with thie rudder, indicates its exact position. The duty of steering the vessel is exclu sively confided to six quarter-masters, whose office is portrayed upon their caps in letters of gold. Passing now from the deck into the saloons, one is astonished at the extent to which ease and elegance have been attained. The sides are formed of highly polished satin wood, maple, and rose-wood, thickly studded with fretwork and columns In gold. Mirrors, marble-top tables, splendid carpets, and velvet cushions assist to make up a display of magnificence unknown to even oriental luxury. About twelve o’clock, the people having been assembled, the Rev. R. K. Ewing held a short service on the deck, addressing them from the 27th verse of the 7th chapter of Ezra,-” Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers.” He reminded them of the gratitude they owed, the privileges they possessed, the religious freedom which they would here enjoy, and the glorious future before them; lie charged them solemnly to take God’s word to be their guide-to select and constantly attend upon the ministry of the teacher under whose instructions they expected to derive most profit, and in all their transactions to exhibit those virtues which are the offspring and adornment of the Christian character. The service being concluded, it was intimated that there was an infant to be baptized, which ordinance was performed: as there will probably be a few curious to know the names given to the “ocean child,” we annex them: Joseph Mundle Chisman M’Kenzie Bucha- nan. The Scotch emigrants having dis- persed, the Germans took possession of the deck, and held a service in their own way, as usual: the Irish paid their devotions below. We may here mention that Mr. Chisman, the respected chief officer, con- ducted divine service every Sunday during the passage. Altogether the emigrants for this port are an intelligent and respectable body of people, and likely to prove a valuable addition to our population. Captain Mundle speaks in the highest terms of commendation as to their conduct oil the passage; and they, appreciating the kind- ness of the Captain and his desire to make them as happy as possible, give expression to similar sentiments in reference to him. This is not the first occasion on which Captain Mundle has visited Launceston. Some four or five years ago he commanded the Martha, taking horses hence to India and New Zealand. We congratulate him upon his advancement, and especially upon the success of his last passage to Australia. He has been exceedingly fortunate in holding together so large and varied a number of people without any disturbances, or even a complaint. Long may he be spared to discharge duties for which he has proved himself so well qualified. The Commodore Perry is anchored at Lagoon Bay, and will not come up any higher. Should the steamer Pirate arrive in time, she will bring up the immigrants and their luggage. The hiring will com mence on Saturday morning. The following are the dimensions of the Commodore Perry:-Length, 202 feet; breadth amidships, 42 feet; depth of hold amidships, 28 1/2 feet; tonnage, 2143 N.M.

Thanks for this great contribution Rod. I’m sure it will be helpful to all those researching the Commodore Perry. I’ve seen other reports but not this one from memory…I certainly don’t recall reading this about the Germans. Excellent! It sounds like a very flash ship.

Hello Pauline,
Thankyou for all the research you’ve done on the Dorfprozelan migrants, its been marvellous to get so much information and so many leads. Thanks to you I have been in touch with Elizabeth Kendall who has emailed me so much interesting family history. It seems that we have to go back to a geneation before the arrival of the Dorfprozelten migrants to find our shared ancestor. Our great-great grandparents were not siblings, but they were cousins. Joseph and Caroline Z oller were raised by their Aunt and Uncle, Franz and Catharine Zoller. Their parents had died ,but it seems that their relations on their mother’s side (the Gunzers ) also came to Australia at a later date and they bought a 3rd sibling with them. I wonder if you could give my email address to Denice Nicholls and Kevin Ganzer, as I am keen to discover what happenned to this sister. Many thanks
Monica Anderson

hi Monica, I’m glad this linking is working so well. Yes the first two children who came out were, as far as I’ve been able to tell, not the children of either Franz and Catharine…many emails between me and the local historian over in Dorfprozelten to get to the bottom of this. I think I’ll also send you the story I wrote for Queensland’s Founding Families on this family as you might find it useful. I’ll pass your email on to the others. Thanks also for keeping me in the loop -much appreciated. Pauleen

I haven’t seen further posts from Mary. Her backgound is similar to mine – Scottish immigrants through the St Andrew’s Society. I am particularly looking for records covering the Scottish end of the story. (It was good of the German immigrants to drop us off here on their way to Sydney :-) ) It would be great if there were Baines and Co records still in existance.
Regards
Rod

hi Rod, No I might send Mary an email to let her know you’re out there. I think it might have been kinder that the Scots helped the Germans out with food -I think they were given pretty dodgy info and seem to have been short provisioned. I did think the stats on the voyage deaths were interesting. I have a theory that the Irish who survived the Famine were a tough mob and had high immunity to most illnesses -I very much doubt they were in better condition when they got on board. Have you tried searching for Baines and Co records at various Scottish archives including the university archives? The other possibility is to use a National Library of Australia library card to see if there’s much about the Scottish end of the process in the UK papers. It’s the best my post-rugby brain can come up with right now :-) Pauleen

Another extract from the Launceston Examiner – this one at the time of the 50 year Commodore Perry reunion – note particularly the references to the German band etc
Commodore Perry reunion 1905

Examiner 8 April 1905
In the fifties of last century some splen- did clipper ships, like the Oliver Lang, the Commodore Perry, the Ocean Chief, the Shooting Star, the General Wyndham, and a fleet of others, brought to the shores of Australia and Tasmania contingents of pioneers, who laid the foundations of the Commonwealth of Australia-or, perhaps, it would be more accurate to say, WHO built a magnificent edifice upon foundations already made. Those grand colonists from the Mother- land are now becoming scarce. On Thurs- day next, April 13, the golden jubilee of the landing of immigrants by the ship Commodore Perry, at Launceston, will occur, and one of those now old colonists, Mr. Alfred Jones, former governor of the Hobart Gaol, and now visiting justice at the Launceston Gaol, has been endeavouring to gather round the festive board as many of his shipmates of half a century ago as he could discover. I am indebted to Mr. Jones for some interest- ing particulars about the Commodore Perry and its passengers. He says: – “The Commodore Perry, 2,000 tons, Captain Joseph Mundle, left Liverpool January 11, 1855. Passengers about 450, consisting of about 200 Scotch, 100 Irish, 150 Germans, and about 11 English. The Scotch immigrants were selected by the late Mr. Joseph Bonney, of Perth, Tasmania, who represented the St. Andrew’s Society of Launceston. The society consisted of Mr. (now Sir) Adye Douglas, John Thompson, James Robertson, Thom- as Corbett, Alexander Webster, Alexander Learmonth, John Fownes, and others whose names I cannot remember. Many of the Irish were engaged for Lord Talbot to work, on his estate at Malahide, Fingal district. The Germans (vine- dressers and planters) were bound for New South Wales. We arrived at the Heads on April 7, thus making the passage in 86 days, which was considered a good run, although the Ocean Chief, which left Liverpool for Hobart on the 7th Jannary-, beat us by 14 days. During the voyage there were 36 deaths, includ- ing one adult-a Mrs. McKenzie-and an- other about 16 years old, the others being young children. There was one birth. The mother-Mrs. McKenzie, above referred to-died; the child was adopted by a Mrs. Joseph Buchanan, and named after the captain, the chief officer,, and the child’s father-Joseph Mundle, Chismen McKenzie. I was informed this day (Wednesday) that the ‘boy’ is still in the land of the living, and recently paid Launceston a visit. Since I came here in the Commodore Perry, I have travelled the greater part of the globe, but never enjoyed a passage as I did that on board the Commodore Perry. I am enclosing a letter I received yesterday (Tuesday; from an old shipmate, whom I do not know, from which you will gather that we had enjoyable times. Considering the number of passengers and the different nationalities amongst them, I think the voyage was unique. The captain and his chief officer were men and Christians. I do not recollect a single disturbance during the voyage calling for the interference of the officers. The poor unfortunate Germans occupied the steer- age or third deck. I will leave you to imagine how they fared. In those days, there was not the attention paid to sanitation that there is at the present time; and they suffered in consequence. The second-class passengers fared very much better. They had ample accommodation between-decks. I have received only two letters concerning the re- union; and I assume there will be no meeting!” It may be added here that the Mr. Alexander Webster spoken of by Mr. Jones is still one of the most prominent figures in commercial circles in Launceston. In the year 1870 Mr. Webster was Mayor of the city.
The letter received by Mr. Jones from one of his fellow-voyagers to Launceston fifty years ago furnishes such a vivid description of life on board an emigrant ship in those far-off days, that I give, it below: –

“Zeehan, 1st April, 1905.
“Dear Shipmate,-Your letter I was pleased to see in yesterday’s ‘Examiner,’ suggesting a re-union, lt’brought vividly to my memory the voyage trom Liverpool, with its pleasures.and discomforts; and, by the way, we entered’ George Town Heads to-day fifty years ago, didn’t we? It seems to me that I now hear the voice of Captain Mundle, rousing up the Ger- man band-‘Come on, you fiddlers!’ or Mr. Chismen squaring any little acerbity that had arisen between passengers about their precedence at the coffee mill, or as to whose turn it was to scrape the ‘tween deck. I hear big Mick Mangan tell the poor Germans, who for weeks had dosed him with brandy wine, ‘Give me another bottle, boys, and I won’t touch yez!*”. I hear the sailors chanting ‘Tom is’ gwine to die now, poor ole’ man,’ or ‘Was ye e’er in twenty-six?” Those served as our vesper hymns, and helped to lighten the monotony of pumping ship. When bracing up the yards-‘Why did you die, Paddy Murphy, O?’ and the asertion, Kitty, you’re my darlin’. But, oh, the band! Will over the tunes they inflicted day in day out, leave my memory! The bogus -wedding got up* on St. Patrick’s Day, in which Paddy Mac was ‘bride’ and Tom K-groom, and the serving out’ of a pint of porter to each of us to celebrate the event; and how Jonathan Graham, the ‘ Orangeman (dead lately) was indignant at the on-goings. I remember how very conservative we Scotchmen -~were when we heard that a hundred Irishmen were to ship with us, and insisted on a bulkhead being built between us and them. I also recollect how, before many weeks, that partition was surreptitiously broken down, and a more or less exchange of civilities and songs indulged in. How that you and I ona a good many more worshipped from afar the pretty Irish girl, Miss R-, but who was married, and was coming out on a family ticket with her husband; and how I felt taken down when I met her and her husband in York-street some months later, and asked whose baby she carried, and was over- whelmed with pity when I was told ‘Its me own,’ with no further explanation. Yes, Mr. Jones, even-in our ashes live our wonted fires, and at our age we can afford to be reminiscent, and fight our innocent battles o’er again-live, for the nonce, in the past, and renew our youth for the time being. I lived two doors to the south ol’ you-opposite ‘Husbands.’ Was the unfortunate captain of No. 12 mess, com- posed of eleven gigantic Scotch plough men, besides yours truly, with appetites that had had. little but spoon-food, par ritch and kail,’ previously, to appease it Do you remember our dispenser-‘Physic’ -the unfortunate butt of all ? The doctor, the ‘Long Tailor,’ and their amours-but I have got on the swing, and could write all night on the subject! I fear’you will consider me senile and garrulous. However, sir, we lived slower fifty years ago, and a voyage such as ours _ impressed itself indelibly on our memories, e.g., your ‘Examiner’ letter-for which many thanks, as I have enjoyed myself to-night. Although there is little probability of my being present at any re-union my ship- mates may participate in, I hope no strain of sorrow, unless the” natural one for those who are ‘gone before,’ will prevail, and that the struggles for an exist- ence in Tasmania will be forgotten, and a night aboard the Commodore Perry (by the way, I furnished him with whiskers and moustache, in tar)-will be enjoyed, even although it is more than fifty years since we went aboard. Nothing – or something of the Flying Dutchman – in this last sentence. I have the pleasure of renewing acquaintance after fifty years.-Yours, truly., Jas. Kirkwood.

Hello Rod,
Strangely enough, my wife has a German descendant , Krebs, who arrived on the Commodore Perry, and I have been looking into James Kirkwood from Zeehan, Tas, from another angle to see if he is one of my Kirkwoods from Renfrewshire. My Kikroowds were from a place called Kilmalcolm and this same James Kirkwood that you have posted mentions Kilmalcolm in a letter to the editor of the Launceston Examiner in 1907, regarding another matter. Do you by any chance know this James Kirkwood and where he is from in Scotland?? Wouldn’t it be a big coincidence if both my wife and myself had relatives who came on the Commodore Perry. Many thanks fro your help

Ray,
I am not familiar with James Kirkwood at all. I checked Ancestry for the records on the Commodore Perry for that voyage. It shows up one James Kirkwood aged 19 who is listed (I think) as a miller from Scotland. He was introduced by Alexander Learmonth of the St Andrews Immigration Society.
Sorry I can’t provide any more details. My GGGrandfather Alexander Fraser was also on the ship but, again. not enough detail. I would love to find some records of the immigration society to fill in the gaps but unfortunately have not located any.
Regards
Rod

Ray, further information – this time the Cornwall Chronicle from Feb 1866. Not sure if this miller is the same Kirkwood as was in Zeehan – the Zeehan one is linked via the reunion letter whereas the link here is being a miller. The Zeehan one is quite a character – plenty of mentions if you do a search on Trove!

Messrs John Gaunt and James Kirk- wood having leased the North Esk Mill,
it is now in full work and it will be a great convenience to farmers in the vici- nity of Patterson’s Plains, Evandale &c This Mill has been standing idle for about twelve months past, and the want of it was felt to be a very great inconvenience to a large number of persons who had been in the practice of sending their grist to it. Messrs Gaunt and Kirkwood are determined to act liberally with all those who patronize the North Esk Mill. They are both millers, by trade and are there fore in a position to do business on most reasonable terms.

Hi Pauleen,
My husband and I are off to Dorfprozolten in September this year. We are excited to see the birthplace of his ancestors. Although we know that language will probably prevent us from finding out any additional information, we just want to experience the area. Have been to Germany before in 2006, but not to this region.
Val Ganzer

To Rod Fraser,
Thanks Rod for the last posting re James Kirkwood, being a miller. Kirkwood certainly was a prolific contributor to the Launceston papers on all sorts of issues, he was a bit of a stirrer I think. I have contacted someone on Rootsweb re Kirkwoods from Zeehan, and he thinks they are from my “Kilmalcolm” family. He has passed the query on to his sister who is the Kirkwood expert, so I am waiting on a reply. Thanks for your trouble, and I will get to the bottom of it sooner or later.

hi Rod & Ray, good you have made a connection on this topic. I feel I’ve seen something else about the St Andrew’s Emigration Society but can’t recall where…or did I imagine it. Will post if I find something.

I have the same ancestor as JANINE CONWAY who wrote earlier about MARTIN ARENTZ 14 years old from the COMMODORE PERRY. They settled in Tingha NSW and there are several of us researching this family. There is a bit of a mystery about Martin’s birth mother, either Maria Anna or Anna Maria Ketzer who died back in Germany. I now have a German Ketzer checking on this for me and he has emailed me often, His tree dating back to 1600s is on the net now and I would be happy to hear from Janine if we can exchange emails.

Hi Fiona, If you give me your permission I’ll pass your email on to Janine so you can chat about the Arentz family. One comment on the maiden names of women on the German ships is that I’ve found a couple of instances where the mother’s maiden name is actually that of HER mother…the way the Germans report their names is what caused the confusion I think. However if your Ketzer ancestor died before the family emigrated you probably already know her name.

I am descendant of an immigrant Künkel, called Ferdinad, and his father was Jacob Künkel who would have one other son with name of Peter. Ferdinand came to Brazil. Here we are many Künkel. I would like to receive and exchange information on relatives

I thought it might be Spanish too , so I showed it to my son who Skyped from Spain earlier today. He says its Portuguese and could only give me a very rough translation, which I think you’ve managed already. There are applications on Google which (if you reply in English) Jeronimo can probably use to translate back into Portuguese.

Hi. I just notice in the first part of this blog that a relative married a Caroline Umscheid. My great grandfather came from Dorfprozelten in the 1880s.His name was Johannes Ludwig Umscheid, born in Dorfprozelten in 1822. I am just working on our family History and find it very interesting. I also was fortunate enough to visit this little village last March. Although it was a quick visit, I found this little town truely a gem and wish I could have spent more time doing research there.

hi Judy, The Umscheid is not my own relation but rather one of the immigrants to Australia in the 1850s. If your great grandfather came from Dorfprozelten in the 1880s it’s quite likely they’re related. Did you manage to pick up a copy of the local history while you were there? I see you’re in Canada – is that where your ancestor went? Or did he go into the USA. I too love Dorfprozelten -it’s modern but still you can see how it was in the old days. You can see some of my photos on my Flickr page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cassmob/sets/72157600185994835/ Pauleen

The following family of Phillip Zeller and Anna Maria Francesca Kremer arrived as Asst Immigrants or Qld in Feb 1879 aboard Fritz Reuter. Two more children were born after arrival.
Note they are listed as ZOLLER. Another variant might be ZOELLER

The German immigrant ship Fritz Reuter arrived at the Bar last Sunday morning at half-past 6 o’clock, in tow of the Boko. She was at once visited by the health officer, and upon its being reported to him that there had been thirty deaths during the passage, of which seven were from typhoid fever, he ordered the vessel and immigrants into quarantine. The ship was towed to Peel Island by the Boko, dropping anchor there at a quarter to 4 o’clock the same afternoon. The following is a list of the deaths reported to have occurred on board the Fritz Reuter during her voyage :— Wilhelm Zoller, aged 19 years, who died of typhoid fever on November 18 ; Johanna Ericksen, 31 years, typhoid, December 15; Jonas Ericksen, 33 years, typhoid, December 16 ; Lanet S. Jensen, 22 years, typhoid, Decem- ber 21 ; Niels Olson, 23 years, December 22 ; Catherine M. Jensen, 24 years, typhoid fever, on January 15 ; Annie C. Christiansen, 9 years, typhoid fever, on January 16. Besides these, there were twenty-three children of 4 years and under, seventeen of whom died of diarrhoea, four of marasmus, and two of inflammation of the kidneys.

Thanks for this Peter. At this time frame it becomes a little more challenging finding the places of birth. Have you tried buying the birth certificates for the children born in Qld? No guarantee the parents will be specific about their own place of birth, but when all else fails… Alternatively you could try to find where those children were baptised as the church records may also give this information, you just never know. Also try for his naturalisation, if applicable, and see what it tells you (available at Qld State Archives). If you are in or near Brisbane there is a family history Expo on at Jindalee and I notice Eric Kopittke is talking on exactly this topic on Tuesday 26th June at 2.30pm -he is a German expert so would be well worth hearing if it’s possible to get there. Here’s the link http://www.unlockthepast.com.au/events/unlock-past-queensland-expo-2012/program. Hope some of this helps and if anyone links in to this family I’ll let you know.

Hello, I came across your website when I typed my relatives into google. I am a descendant of Alois and Clara Neubeck, who also came from Dorfprozelten. Some distant cousins of mine published a book on all their life once they arrived in Australia, and sent it out to all of their descendants. I was only young then but I still have the book and its very interesting.
Very nice webage, I like all the pictures of Dorfprozelten.
Alison

I’ve just discovered your web site when I looked up Dorfprozelten to get a map. My ancestors (Hennig) but name changed to Henny arrived on the “Peru” in 1855. They settled in Dungog, N.S.W. and had a dairy farm there. I haven’t been there but In understand that there is a Henny Street so imagine that they must have been among the early settlers in that location.

hi Pam, good to hear from you. Yes I knew the Hennigs changed their name to Henny (a fairly typical response to getting the English spelling in line with German pronunciation. I did visit Dungog briefy about 7 years ago but didn’t see Henny St -I imagine it’s near where they lived. You may want to have a look at my Flickr page which has some photos of the Henny graves in the Dungog cemetery. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cassmob/sets/72157600238648514/. Cheers Pauleen

Thanks for your reply. After I sent my first message, I noticed that after Hennig, Henny, there was the name Courts. That may also a relative. A James Courts had a daughter, Sarah Jane, who married Anthony Henny in Dungog in 1865.
Next time I go to NSW, I want to go to Dungog to have a look around and go to the museum, cemetary, etc.
Are you, by any chance, the man who is going all around the country photographing German graves? If so, I heard about you from the Bribie Island Family History Group. I will go to your website to see the photos.
Pam

hi Pam, I’d be interested to hear about your discoveries in Dungog when you visit as I am unlikely to get there again any time soon as I live in Darwin. No I’m not the man, in fact not one at all ;-), who is doing the German photos though I’d be interested to know who that is if you find out. Cheers Pauleen

It would be good to learn about the German photos wouldn’t it? If I found out more I’ll be sure to post the link. It’s that tricky Cassmob that throws people ;-) Arentz appears on either Commodore Perry or Peru (ships) I think from memory.

hi Pamela, it does depend on where you write to. It took me three personal visits and a number of letters before I progressed my research in Dorfprozelten and I do write and speak German a little from my high school days. Whereabouts are you in Oz? There are some copies of the local history available -one in Brisbane and one in Sydney that I know of. I will email you but this weekend is busy so may not be for a day or two.

From the shipping list (Board Immigrant Lists) we know that Anna Maria Zöller’s parents were “Franz & Regina Zöller living in Dorfprozelten”. From the local history, Dorfprozelten am Main Teil II, we have her birthdate as 8 February 1809.
The Germans tended to state their parents the following way: Catherine Zöller, parents Michael and Catherine Brand ie the father’s surname is implicit as Zöller whereas we would say Michael & Catherine Zöller. Something to be aware of and something which muddied the waters on some of the immigration documents.
I will try to contact the local historian to see if I can learn more about Annia Maria Zöller’s parents.
There is a copy of the Dorfprozelten history in the Genealogical Society of Qld library at East Brisbane as I donated a copy to them, however if you were going to see it perhaps it would be best to ring them first.

I have emailed you with info but I’m also including the information here for the benefit of others. I’d particularly like to acknowledge the assistance of the local historian for his help with this, and also the info in the local history, Dorfprozelten am Main, Teil II (there is a copy at GSQ in Brisbane, and I think at Burwood & district FHS).

From the above book I now find that Franz Michael Zöller’s parents were Antonius Zöller (day labourer and sailor/shipman)(b 21 June 1729 d 19 Feb 1796) and his third wife (married 13 June 1769) who was Rosina Seus (b 12 July 1743 d 8 april 1808). First wife: Gertrud Seus (b19 Sept 1722 d 17 Feb 1747); 2nd wife Catharina Krebs married 4 Feb 1749, (b 18 Mar 1729 d 17 Mar 1768)
This family lived in house number 155 (see page 160 of the local history).

Maria Regina Zöller (b 19 May 1784): parents were Paulus Zoller (b 7 Feb 1737 d 3 Feb 1796) and her mother was his second wife (married 12 Nov 1778), Anna Maria Seus born about 1750 and died 30 May 1784 so it’s very likely she died as a consequence of childbirth given the proximity to Regina’s birth date. Paulus was a day labourer and his first wife was Maria Eve Brand (born Platz, so she would have been a widow). He remarried after Anna Maria’s death on 10 Jan 1785 to Maria Grasman from nearby Stadtprozelten. Maria Regina and youngest sister Catharina (b12 June 1792) were the only children of Paulus’s to survive to adulthood.

The family lived in a house virtually adjacent to the presbytery where the new church is built. All this is on page 85 of Georg’s book. It is worth noting that Zöller and Seus are very common names in Dorfprozelten (a bit like Smith and Brown in Australia).

Thank you SO much. I really appreciate your help and knowledge. One of the members of the Bribie Island Family History Information Group gave us a lecture last week. He is a German “expert” and told us how hard it is to get information. I have another German ancestor from Duisburg but despair of finding information about her because the place was almost bombed out of existence during WW2. I will check with the library re looking at the book you donated.
Thank you again.

hi Pamela, I have written to Georg and will see whether he has a chance to reply (or if his email is the same!). If you have the original place of your ancestors you are well & truly a step ahead. A word of warning not to listen to the experts (including me) as the gospel truth. When I first started back in the ’80s I was emphatically told there were no Bavarians and no Catholics who’d emigrated from Germany. This was plainly incorrect even though it came from someone who was generally very expert. If you write to the relevant archive in simple English you should get a response provided you have specific details to offer though it helps if you can get someone to translate your letter for you. For example the Catholic Archives in Wurzburg hold the Dorfprozelten church records and a friend recently got her ancestor’s baptism from them, but of course there is a cost.

In terms of Duisburg, I suggest you look at the family search catalogue at https://familysearch.org/search/catalog. They have a number of record sources microfilmed so I wouldn’t give up hope just yet. Yes it will be written in German but you can usually pick out your surname and you can always post to one of the various sites asking for help with the translation. I notice they also have some emigration documents on film for Duisburg. Happy hunting!

Hi, I am a descendant of both Muhlings and Diflo’s I have only recently started tracing my family history and am finding it not only interesting but educational also…. My great grandparents were Leonhardt Valentine Muhling and Rosa Diflo. both of their ancestors came to australia from Germany.

My family comes from Dorfprozelten. :D I was thrilled to find this post. We live in the US now but visit annually. My Tante Claudia (Kappes) is the Burgermeisterin from the neighboring city, Stadtprozelten. Dorfprozelten put out an extended history book a few years back chronicling the history of the town and nearly all of the townspeople. Is this where you’re getting all of your history from? My mom has the book, and she was following along as I was reading from your blog. I know we are distantly related to the Zoller family, I’ll have to do some digging to see exactly how. Your blog has ignited my genealogy bug! Thank you! -Daniel

I guess I could have left our Family names, lol.
My Oma was born Brand, and married into Plachy. Her family was from Dorfprozelten many generations back, my Opa was from Czechoslovakia and moved to Germany after WWI.

And now that my mom has read half of the book for me over the phone, because neither of us can sleep, we’ve come to the realization that you wrote an article in the book about your great grandfather, Georg Kunkel. We’re in that book too! :D The Hutchinson family! :) I was searching the internet about my family because my great uncle, from Dorfprozelten, passed away today and I was feeling homesick. I’m so glad I stumbled on your blog, it;s helped my mom and I focus our attention on all of our wonderful visits and memories of Dorfprozelten and not of the family that we’ve lost over the years. Thank you! -Daniel

I’m sorry to hear of your loss Daniel…always difficult but especially when a long way away. Yes I gave Georg quite a bit on the Australian emigrants including George Kunkel, whose family owned one of the inns for centuries (see pages 192 and 143-144). What pages are yours on…should look but being lazy. It’s an invaluable book I must say. I’m glad it brought back lots of positive memories for you to distract from your sadness. You might also be interested in some of the photos of Dorf on my Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/cassmob/. Will email tomorrow. Pauleen

Hi Daniel, Great to hear from you. Yes I have three of G Veh’s books…very helpful. I’ve also done a lot of research at this end (Australia) on our mid-1850s migration. I call the Zollers, the Ziller/Zeller/Zollers for the multiple ways that I’ve found them indexing. Happy searching.

I am chasing up a relation that I believe came from Dorfprozelten to Australian and settled in the Hunter Valley. My gggg mother is Anna Rosina Nebauer. She was born in Dorfproltzen in 1835 and died in Merriwa, NSW in 1905. I believe that she is the sister of Eugen Nebauer whom you have referred to above. Ancestry.com shows that Anna Rosina has the same parents as Eugen. Eugen and his family arrived in Australia on the Reihersteig in 1852. I have been told that Anna arrived with Eugen but she is not noted on the passenger list (only Eugen, his wife Caroline and their young daughter Maria Rosina are listed).

I can’t find any other record of Anna’s departure from Germany and arrival in Australia. I am wondering whether you have come across Anna Rosina Nebauer in your research and if not, whether you have any pointers on where I might do further digging.

hi Rod, thanks for visiting. I believe you are correct and that I have some info but I’m a bit “vagued out” today so will need to hunt further. Single people weren’t eligible for the government assistance so they sometimes signed contracts for work before they came. In this case, her brother may have paid for her. She should appear on the Koppittke’s Hamburg shipping indexes (QFHS) as these included all passengers, not just those who were assisted. You might want to look at my post on German newspapers here though they’re not that easy to search https://cassmob.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/searching-german-newspapersbooks/. Will follow up for you tomorrow. Pauleen

Hi Rod and Pauleen,
As Rod found, Eugen and his wife and daughter came to Australia in 1852 aboard the Reiherstieg. Eugen(e)’s mother Caroline, and his sister Anna Rosina joined them in 1855 possibly aboard the Peru (from memory). Caroline died on the way from the Maitland district to Gungal and is buried in a little historic cemetery near Jerrys Plains. There is no headstone but she is commemorated on a plaque there. As you probably know, Anna Rosina went on to Gungal to become matriach of the Stair clan.
Cheers, Robert and Kaye Nebauer

hi Robert, Thanks for getting in touch. Yes, I’d just checked my Kopittke indexes and Rosina arrived on the Peru in 1855 (departed 1854) with several other Dorfprozelten people. I hadn’t known about her gravestone so thanks very much for that! If Rod is interested the Hamburg shipping lists can be ordered in on microfilm from the LDS church. However they have also done detailed books for each year. I have 1854 and it shows that Rosina Nebauer emigrated with a Elisabeth Nebauer. Then I pulled out my Dorfprozelten local history and Stephan and Elisabeth Nebauer have no children baptised Elisabeth whereas against the mother’s name is a question mark for her death date. This makes me think it could be she who’s emigrated with Rosina. Elisabeth would then be about 62. I quickly searched the NSW Death indexes using her surname+first name; then her first name up to 1904 (spelling it both Elizabeth and Elisabeth). No luck. I also tried marriages for Nebauer, zip, then none under Elisabeth and too many under Elizabeth only). I turned to the Australian Cemeteries Index, and Bingo!, there she is: Elisabeth Nebauer in an unmarked grave, aged 78, died 4 January 1871, so this is right (her DOB is 5/8/1792). The local history suggests that all but one son and one daughter had died in Germany (and it’s possible that they had too). Which must have made making the long voyage worthwhile to be with her son Eugen and daughter Rosina. A brave woman! Here’s the grave link http://austcemindex.com/inscription.php?id=716860. OK I see from Ron’s Carnivale page that he knows about Elisabeth as did you, but I didn’t followed it up previously so I’m happy to have added a new name to my list.

I am deeply appreciative of your assistance here. The Peru was the missing piece in my investigation, I agree that Elizabeth and Anna Rosina were brave in moving out to Australia but the same should be said for Eugen and Caroline and the other folk from Dorfprozelten who had already made the trip. As Robert indicated, Anna Rosina went on to be the matriarch of the Stair/Stoehr family and I am a descendant of them through the marriage of her daughter Rose to Charles Hazell (my mother is a Hazell). Researching into the Hunter Valley Germanic heritage has been a real eye opener for me as I knew little of it until now. I have also just discovered that my mother is also a descendant of another Germanic family (the Schuber’s) who settled in the HV in 1853, arriving on the Helene. Like many other german immigrants at that time, Anton Schuber was a vinedresser. It is nice to feel part of the great HV wine heritage.

hi Rod, you’re most welcome and glad to help. For a long time this bunch of Catholic Germans have been neglected. There’s a good researcher writing about them in the Burwood and District FHS magazine, Ances_Tree so if you can locate a nearby library which has the mag, it’s well worth a look. I also wrote about them for the Genie Congress here in 2006 which is published in the proceedings if you want to follow it up. Inevitably I know more now than I did then, especially about the NSW ones. I have another blog which I’ve called from Dorfprozelten to Australia but I haven’t done too much with it so far. The address is http://dorfprozeltenaus.wordpress.com/. You might also be interested in the Dorfprozelten category on my right-hand sidebar of this blog -there are 31 stories relating to Dorfprozelten. Cheers for now. Pauleen

Hi! I’m interested in any information on the Nebauer’s who live or lived in Dorfprozelten. Eugene Nebauer is my great, great, great grandfather and my great, great grandfather is his son Joseph Phillip Nebauer. I was brought up on the farm that belonged to the Nebauer family in Gungal, so that house has lots and lots of stories to tell. If anyone has other information on the Nebauer’s living in Australia i would love to hear from you. Anna Rosina Stair is buried with her husband in Merriwa NSW. The Nebauer reunion is held every 5 years, next one should be in 2014.

hi Pauline, I will write to you separately but thank you for getting in touch here. Isn’t it wonderful that you have regular reunions -not something many of the other families have managed. You might be interested in my other blog, still in its infancy, on the dorfprozelten emigrants. http://dorfprozeltenaus.wordpress.com/
I’ve also just started a facebook page for the Dorfprozelten emigrants’ descendants at https://www.facebook.com/groups/541563712595845/. To join it, all you have to do is request to join and I’ll approve it. Hopefully over time we’ll get lots of members who are descendants of these early pioneers and it will be a place where people can connect with relatives or learn about the other families who came. Cheers Pauleen

Don’t know what went wrong Gail, this is the first message that’s come through. I have accepted you on the Facebook page. It would be great to know which family you descend from. Thanks for getting in touch and apologies that it appears to have been frustrating.

Hi Pauleen. Just a quick note to say that you have done an amazing job with collecting all that information. I spent all day reading everything on your page and found it really interesting. I look forward to reading more article in the near future.
Cheers Pauline
(paulinetape@hotmail.com)

My name is Graham O’Harae. My wife’s maiden name was Schubert. She is the 2nd great granddaughter of Anton and Karolina (nee Wallich) Schubert. If you could provide us with any information it would be greatly appreciated, particu;arly about the vessel “Helene”.

hi Graham, Unfortunately I’m not in a position to help you with this. I do this purely for my own enjoyment and have only researched the people from Dorfprozelten. There are many opportunities online to follow this up and if you are near Brisbane I’d suggest a visit to the State Library or the Archives, or a family history library near you (Qld Family History Society is especially good for Geman research). Alternatively you may wih to hire a researcher. Good luck with your search. Pauleen

hi Graham, I am not a professional researcher and have no information on the Helene or the Schuberts. I can only suggest you join one of the family history societies and perhaps also visit the Archives in Brisbane or the State Library. Pauleen

After researching my family history for many years i have just come across your blog. It has some insightful stories and confirms members of my family history also. I am a descendant of Maria and Dominicus Kuhn who travelled to Australian on the ‘Peru’ in 1855. Their daughter, Katharina (who was aged 10 on the voyage) is my gg grandmother. She married John Charles Miller who was also from Germany (Stettin) and arrived on the ‘Windsor’ in 1853. (as per his naturalisation record).
Thank you for your information and i look forwards to searching through your blog.
Lauren

hi Lauren, good to hear from you. I’ve been offline for a while with family obligations but am hoping to get back to my other blog as well about the Dorfprozeten immigrants. I’m quite interested in the Kuhn family as I hadn’t managed to track down too much about them other than their marriages etc through NSW BDM. My Dorfprozelten blog is here http://dorfprozeltenaus.wordpress.com/ but I haven’t got a lot up there yet. If you search this blog for “Dorfprozelten” you will learn more about the emigrants from the village. Good to her from you and so sorry about the delay!

Pauleen. Is it possible that there is some connection between Anna May Zoller and my gg grandmother Anna Maria Zoller? I note that tere’s a Zoller reunion in Toowoomba and if there’s any relationship to me, I wouldn’t mind attending. Thanks., Pam

Dear Cassmob, I am a decendant of jJohann Hock and Clara Gunzer.I read a letter from someone asking for info on her GGrandmother Kate nee rosner. I think kate may be a sister of my grandmother Clara nee Rosner who married William Morrow in Kyogle n s w unfortunatly I can’t find the letter and wondered if you may have an email address for the writer, I believe she lived in Casino on Nth coast. I would be grateful if you could put me in contact with the writer
Thanks Joy

Hi Joy
I think it is me that you are trying to contact.
My great grandmother was Kate Rosner whose mother Mary(Hock) married Edward Henry Day and I posted a letter about what I know of the family.I am happy to have my email address passed on to you.
Hope to hear from you soon
Deanna (nee Day)

Hi
I just put dorfprozolten in Google and your blog came up congratulation on all your work I am planning to visit the village next year. Any info you have on the area or things I should/see do when there would be appreciated.
Regards
Chris

hi Chris, Good to hear from you. If you’re interested you might want to join our Dorfprozelten facebook group as several people have been to Dorfprozelten more recently than I have. Just ask to join and you’ll be in the group.https://www.facebook.com/groups/541563712595845/?fref=ts

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